Pump



June 21, 1966 E. D. HARTLEY 3,256,832

PUMP

Original Filed Oct. 18, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. [21?4 0 #419715 Y June 21, 1966 E. D. HARTLEY 3,256,832

PUMP

Original Filed 001.. 18, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 'ZZA 9 1942725) ATZUP/VE Y United States Patent 3,256,832 PUMP Ezra Dale Hartley, 2700 Jalmia Drive, Los Angeles, Calif. 90046 Continuation of application Ser. No. 317,324, Oct. 18, 1963. This application Mar. 29, 1965, Ser. No. 445,850 7 Claims. (Cl. 103-141) This is a continuation of my application Serial No. 317,324, filed October 18, 1963.

This invention relates to a novel and unique pump. The pump is a positive displacement, vane-type pump and may have variable displacement characteristics. At the outset the primary objects of the invention will be stated.

. The manner in which these objects are realized will become apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred form of the invention. In addition to the advantages that are initially stated, many additional advantages will appear from the detailed description.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a new and improved pump, for the particular pumping purposes of the pump and particularly to provide a pump which does not use flexible vanes but which can perform the services of that type of pump. Pumps and/or impellers using flexible vanes frequently have vanes made of rubber, for example. These vanes are flexed during operation and do not stand up, and the value of such a pump is limited accordingly.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pump of this type having the aforesaid characteristic which is able to pump gas or liquid or contaminated liquids or slurries.

Another object is to provide and realize a pump as described, and having the characteristic stated which is of simplified construction and which is made up of simple, easily fabricated, reproducible and replaceable parts. Primarily the elements of the pump of this invention comprise simple geometric shapes which are spheres, cones and flat planes.

An object of the invention is to eliminate in pumps of this type both sliding vanes and vanes which are flexed during operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide and realize in a pump as described, the characteristic that the pump itself will automatically release in the event of an excess pressure occurring therein. The details of the manner in which this is achieved will be described hereinafter. Another object is to provide a novel and improved means for applying sealing force or pressure to the moving vanes in the pumping enclosure and for providing for the automatic release of excess pressure. Another object is to provide for variable displacement in a pump as described herein. Further objects and numerous additional advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and annexed drawings wherein:

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective View of a preferred form of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional View taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 are sectional views taken along lines 3,256,832 Patented June 21, 1966 a body 10 and a mounting base 11. The pumping enclosure is provided by a' substantially hemispherical cap or cover 14 having a flange 15. The body of the pump has a substantially fiat circular upstanding part 17, and the flange 15 is attached to this part by screws 19, as shown. The circular part 17 has an annular groove 20 and in this groove is a sealing O-ring 21 against which the flange 15 seals.

The body 10 is shown in cross-section in FIG. 2. It has an inlet conduit 25 and an outlet conduit 26, these conduits communicating with inlet and outlet ports in the member 17, as indicated in outline in FIG. 5. Numeral 27 designates a grease cup on a screw threaded pipe or fitting 28 which is threaded into body 10 communicating with an orifice 30 connected to the bore 31 in the pump body which receives the shaft 33. The shaft 33 has an annular groove 35 in which a sealing O-ring is disposed. Other means of sealing may be provided, and for providing an axial thrust to the shaft 33 as desired, as will be described more in detail hereinafter. A carbon bushing may be used on the shaft 33 in the bore 31 of the pump body. An exterior seal for the shaft may be utilized.

The body 10 has a first counterbore 39 and a second counterbore 40. Within the counterbore 39 is a sealing ring 42 having the cross-sectional shape shown, and within the counterbore 40 is a washer or bushing 43.

Within the shell or cover 14 there is provided a projection or barrier member 49 which in the preferred form is of the shape of a truncated cone. It has a convex spherical outer surface 51, and it has a spherical concavity 52 at its inner end. The sides of the projection member 49 lie on radii of the hemispherical shell 14, or parallel to radii, the center of which is designated at O. The projection or barrier member 49 has an annular groove in its outer surface as designated at 54, and in this groove is a sealing O-ring 55 which seals against the interior surface of the shell 14. Numeral 60 designates a screw extending through a flexible washer 61 and into the projection 49. This screw is movable in a slot 63 in the shell 14. The slot 63 lies in a plane which is normal to the plane of the flat circular part 17 of the pump body. The screw provides an adjustment for the displacement of the pump, as will be described hereinafter.

That is, the pump is a variable displacement pump to accommodate the pump to.various amounts of power, depending upon the volume being pumped.

The inner part of the shaft 33 is spherical or domeshape, as shown at 67, this projecting part having a radius to interfit with the concavity 52 at the inner end of the projection 49. From the foregoing it will be observed that the axis of the conical member 49 may be displaced from the axis of shaft 33, the latter being normal to the plane of the part 17 extending through the center 0. In other words, the projection 49 is in an eccentric position as shown, thus creating an arcuate passageway around it within the shell 14, the inlet and outlet ports communicating with this passageway, as may be observed from FIG. 5. With reference to the part described, suitable materials may be used; the pump body 10 and the shell 14 may be made of stainless steel, for example.

The pump, as mentioned, is a vane-type pump. The

vanes sweep around through .the passageway referred to,

around the projection or barrier member 49, as may be seen in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. As may be observed, the said passageway varies in size in a circumferential direction, and as the vanes sweep through this volume, they enclose volumes which gradually diminish in size in. a direction towards the outlet, as will appear more in detail hereinafter.

Next will be described the vanes and their mounting in the pump. The end part of the shaft 33 is of a larger size, as designated at 70, and it fits against the bushing 43, and means may be provided, if desired, to exert an axial thrust upon the shaft 33 in this direction. FIG. 6 shows the shape of an individual vane, as designated at 73. The vanes are substantially planar and comprise substantially quarter arcs of circle. Each vane has an inner circular or tubular part 74, as may be seen in FIG. 7. In the ends of these tubular parts there is a bushing, as designated at 77, having a square hole 78. Received in the square hole is the square end 81 of a torsion bar or rod, as designated at 83. The tubular part 74 of each vane is rotatably mounted on a hub extending from the end part of the shaft 33. There are four of these tubular hubs, as designated at 85, equally spaced and extending outwardly from bores 86 in the end part of the shaft. There are two of the torsion bars or rods 83 extending substantially at right angles to each other and substantially through the center hole. Thebores 86 intersect at the axis of the shaft 33. Each of the torsion bars 83 has a slight central offset, as shown at 91, so that the two bars accommodate each other.

Each of the vanes 73 is preferably covered with a flexible or resilient material, as designated at 93, and as may be seen in FIGS. 7 and 8. However, the pump is operable without such covering. The circular or tubular part 74 of each vane also has a rubber covering, as designated at 94, having extending ribs 95 which are positioned to seal against the flat face of the circular part 17 of the pump body. This may be clearly seen in FIG. 4. The outer edge of each vane seals against the interior of the shell 14 and the inner edge of each each vane seals against the dome-shape 67, and these edges may be provided with ribs to insure sealing, as designated at 96 in FIG. 2.

From the foregoing it will be observed that the vanes are mounted in pairs, with one vane of each pair on opposite ends of one of the torsion bars 83. The position of the pairs may readily be observed from FIGS. 2, 4 and 9. It is important to observe that each pair of vanes and its respective torsion bar can rotate as a unit or assembly about the axis of the torsion bar. To appreciate the relationships, one may observe that in FIG. 2, if the projection 49 is moved up and down (set screw 60 being of course loosened to permit such movement), the two vanes shown bearing against the projection in that figure would move with it. The side sufaces of the vanes wipe against the projection 49 and seal against it, and as the vanes are rotated by shaft 33, as will be described, each pair of vanes is compelled to rotate or oscillate back and forth about the axis of its torsion bar, as may be understood from an inspection of FIGS. 3 and 4.

In addition to the foregoing, each of the torsion bars 83 is under some torsion, that is, deflection, or fiexure imposing a torque force upon the vanes on their sides, urging them into wiping engagement with the projection 49. The amount of this torsion can, of course, be adjusted or set. It is this ability of the torsion bars to deflect or flex further that makes possible the characteristic of the pump that it will automatically release excess pressure. This comes about by way of one vane of a pair rotating with respect to the other vane of that pair by additionally flexing its torsion bar, that is, so that that vane moves away from sealing contact with the projection 49, thereby releasing the pressure and permitting slippage.

Next will be described the over-all operation of the pump. The shaft 33 may be driven by any suitable prime mover. The exemplary direction of rotation is indicated by arrows in the several views. As may be seen, rotation of the shaft 33 rotates the torsion bars and the mountings of the vanes about the axis of shaft 33, and the action will be understood by comparison of the views. The shell 14, theinner wall of part 17, the hemispherical enlargement 70 on shaft 33 and projection 49 form an enclosure which is subdivided into four compartments by the vanes. The enclosure constitutes in effect an arcuate passageway, and when the shaft 'is rotated during operation, the compartments vary cyclically in volume. Thus, as the vanes traverse the passageway formed within the pumping enclosure, they move in pairs about their respective axes, as described in the foregoing, this action being enforced by the eccentric position of the projection 49 which forms a cam which operates the vanes in this manner. One vane of a pair moves relatively to the other vane of that pair solely to release excess pressure in the manner described above. As the vanes traverse the passageway, the enclosed volumes diminish in size in a direction towards the pump outlet, the said passageway diminishing in size in that direction so that a pumping action is achieved.

By loosening set screw 60, the eccentricity of the projection 49 may be adjusted relative to the axis of shaft 33, and a desired displacement of the pump per revolution may be thus selected. With the axis of projection 49 aligned with the axis of shaft 33, the pump acts as a circulator. The pumping direction may be easily reversed without changing the direction of rotation of the driving means. This may be done simply by removing the shell 14 and reinstalling it with the projection 49 on the opposite side of the axis of the shaft 33, looking at FIGS. 1 and 2, or more simply by adjusting the position of the cam on past center. The torsion in the torsion bars always provides a torque urging the vanes into engagement with the projection or cam 49. The direction of flow may also be reversed by reversing the direction of rotation of the shaft. It should be noted that adjustment of the cam or projection 49 does not affect the operative relationship of the vanes or the sealing relationship of the parts.

From the foregoing, those skilled in the art will observe that the invention achieves and realizes all of the objects as stated in the foregoing, as well as the advantages that have been mentioned.

The pump eliminates sliding vanes and vanes that have to flex. placement pump having the added characteristic of variable displacement. The pump can pump gas or liquid or slurries. The pump has the important feature that in the event of excess pressure it will automatically release, and no extra parts such as pressure relief valves or the like are required to realize this result. The pump is positive acting and lends itself ideally to reverisibility.

Since the parts of the pump are few in number and involve only simple basic geometric shapes, fabrication and production are greatly facilitated, as well as reproducibility and replaceability of parts. The pump is capable of giving extremely effective and dependable service with the simplest type of maintenance.

The foregoing disclosure is representative of a preferred form of the invention and is to be interpreted in an illustrative rather than a limiting sense, the invention to be accorded the full scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. A pump comprising:

means forming a hemispherical cavity having a concave front wall and spaced inlet and outlet ports;

a shaft rotatable about the central axis of said cavity terminating forwardly in a hemispherical head within the cavity and concentric therewith;

a projection having a frusto-conical contour and mounted on said wall and extending into the cavity therefrom provided at its inner end with a concavity of spherical contour concentric with said head and in slidable sealing contact therewith;

means for mounting said projection in fixed relation,

Nevertheless, the pump is a positive dis-.

5 to the wall during shaft rotation, with the contour axis forming a selected angle with the shaft axis; vanes connected to said head for dividing the cavity into a plurality of sealed compartments;

and means resiliently biasing said vanes into slidable sealing lines of contact with said projection contour along side walls of the vanes, said compartments having volumes varying cyclically during shaft rotation when the projection contour axis is angularly spaced from the shaft axis.

2. The invention as stated in claim 1 wherein each vane is connected to the head for pivotal rotation about a support axis perpendicular to the shaft axis, said support axes being equally angularly spaced.

3. The invention as stated in claim 2 wherein said biasing means include torsion bars extending radially of the head along said support axes.

4. The invention as stated in claim 2 wherein the vanes are arcuate portions of annuli having outer arcuate edges sealingly contacting said front wall and inner arcuate edges sealingly contacting said head.

5. The invention as stated in claim 1 wherein said biasing means include torsion bars extending radially of the head and lying in axes perpendicular to the shaft axis, each vane being attached to one of the torsion bars.

6. The invention as stated in claim 5 wherein the vanes have inner and outer arcuate edges sealingly and slidably contacting said head and said front wall respectively.

7. The invention as stated in claim 6 wherein there are four vanes and two mutually perpendicular torsion bars, each bar extending substantially the diameter of the cavity.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,484,212 2/1924 Fear 9182 SAMUEL LEVINE, Primary Examiner. DONLEY J. STOCKING, Examiner.

R. M. VARGO, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A PUMP COMPRISING: MEANS FORMING A HEMISPHERICAL CAVITY HAVING A CONCAVE FRONT WALL AND SPACED INLET AND OUTLET PORTS; A SHAFT ROTATABLE ABOUT THE CENTRAL AXIS OF SAID CAVITY TERMINATING FORWARDLY IN A HEMISPHERICAL HEAD WITHIN THE CAVITY AND CONCENTRIC THEREWITH; A PROJECTION HAVING A FRUSTO-CONICAL CONTOUR AND MOUNTED ON SAID WALL AND EXTENDING INTO THE CAVITY THEREFROM PROVIDED AT ITS INNER END WITH A CONCAVITY OF SPHERICAL CONTOUR CONCENTRIC WITH SAID HEAD AND IN SLIDABLE SEALING CONTACT THEREWITH; MEANS FOR MOUNTING SAID PROJECTION IN FIXED RELATION TO THE WALL DURING SHAFT ROTATION, WITH THE CONTOUR AXIS FORMING A SELECTED ANGLE WITH THE SHAFT AXIS; VANES CONNECTED TO SAID HEAD FOR DIVIDING THE CAVITY INTO A PLURALITY OF SEALED COMPARTMENTS; AND MEANS RESILIENTLY BIASING SAID VANES INTO SLIDABLE SEALING LINES OF CONTACT WITH SAID PROJECTION CONTOUR ALONG SIDE WALLS OF THE VANES, SAID COMPARTMENTS HAVING VOLUMES VARYING CYCLICALLY DURING SHAFT ROTATION WHEN THE PROJECTION CONTOUR AXIS IS ANGULARLY SPACED FROM THE SHAFT AXIS. 